I picked this book after falling completely in love with Darynda Jones’s “A Bad Day for Sunshine.” While this one still sparkled with humor, fabulous banter, and a gutsy, kickass heroine, it didn’t quite capture me like Sunshine. I definitely liked the concept: a sassy grim reaper constantly plagued by the dead to solve their problems uses her powers as a private investigator. I loved finding out more about Charley’s powers and the back and forth with her sidekick, Cookie, but the central “solving a murder” plot seemed less memorable and the insta-love romance from a “bad boy” types didn’t really work for me. (Especially they’re initial meet-cute was just super weird to me) Still, the narration of the audiobook was great, and it kept be interested enough to read the sequel, so I’d definitely still recommend for those looking for a fun, voicey paranormal mystery with a side of bad boy insta-love.
So let me preface this by saying I knew within about the first ten pages that this book wasn’t for me. But as it’s so highly rated and recommended, I decided to try to broaden my pedestrian horizons and give it a shot. And I found it… very strange.
If you are reading to soak in the writing and look deeply into the symbiology and themes of a book. This may be for you! The first half essentially follows Piranesi as he wanders through a never-ending house of nature and statues that he reveres unequivocally. There’s a little mystery as we try to figure out where exactly Piranesi is and how he got there, but even though this book is short, this story… Takes… Its… Time.
Piranesi is a strange, innocent sort of character, reverently altered by his strange surroundings, and spends much of the book alone, reading through his journals to try to piece together his memories.
This book has lyrical descriptions with strands of grand themes interwoven into philosophical musings, and in general is unique in its own way. Altogether, I found it interesting, but not gripping, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a literary venture they can think into.
December 2021 (Round Two) Genre: Ghost Story Word: Agree Action: Pulling a String Time Constraint: 24 hours Length: 250 words
Tara woke slowly in her bedroom, the oppressive air silent and thick on her damp skin. She placed her bare feet on the rough wooden floor and considered the peeling floral wallpaper marked with rows of neat tallies.
Today was the day.
She rose and glided through the creaking farmhouse to the decrepit kitchen where her parents awaited. Her mother bustled between the sink, oven, and refrigerator—not at all bothered that they’d ceased to work years ago. The rocking chair swayed in the corner where her father gazed out the broken bay windows, surveying their overgrown lawn, forlorn without his attentions. In death, they orbited the house as they had in life, like a black and white photograph that refused to fade.
Here, at the end of times, Tara wasn’t sure what to make of them. After all, in an emptied world, perhaps Tara was just another unwitting phantom.
“Today’s the day.” She pulled at a rogue string on her fraying t-shirt, the line of pills waiting on the table. “I can’t do this anymore.”
No reaction. If her parents disagreed with her choice, they didn’t show it.
Tara picked up the first capsule and raised it to her mouth.
The screen door banged open, and Tara nearly leapt out of her skin. She turned to find a wide-eyed stranger standing at her door. Trembling, he fell to his knees. “Are you… a ghost?”
Tara squeezed her hand around the pill, a slow smile curving her lips. “I guess not.”
JUDGe’s Feedback
This one didn’t place, but the feedback is below!
WHAT THE JUDGES LIKED ABOUT YOUR STORY
{2104} You successfully created a setting that was evocative and ghostlike. The line about the end of times combined with the reference to an emptied world gave your story a feeling of loneliness that came across very clearly.
{2086} This story creates a superb sense of atmosphere, in a setup that is equally original. From the non-functional appliances to the overgrown lawn, and the dark decision that Tara has reached, the narrative exudes presence and mood.
{2035} I loved the repetition in Tara’s life with the ghosts that surrounded her. The paragraph about her family going through orbits was particularly compelling, drawing us into Tara’s reality.
WHAT THE JUDGES FEEL NEEDS WORK
{2104} I found myself confused about Tara and her place and role in the house. You wrote some things that suggested that she is also a ghost:
#1 – she glided through the farmhouse,
#2 – the appliances were not working so if she were alive, how would she be able to feed herself,
#3 – you suggest that she might be an “unwilling phantom”.
At the same time, you make suggestions that she is corporeal:
#1 – her skin is damp,
#2 – she is about to take some pills suggesting suicide, however this could be just the repetition of her death,
#3 – the stranger at the door asking if she were a ghost, yet he might be a recent ghost not realizing that he is also dead.
Was this house real or was it a stopping off place for the newly dead? Is Tara’s role to meet them?
These were all questions that went through my head as I read. I think your story would have been made even stronger if the ending were more clear.
{2086} It might be interesting to consider whether there is some specific reason the stranger shows up at the moment Tara is about to take the line of pills she has set up for herself. This coincidence creates a compelling twist, but with even more context or catalytic purpose, it might land just that much more effectively.
{2035} To me, it was a little too unclear who the man was that bounded through her front door. I think that trimming back some of the detailed description in the first paragraph would free up six or so words you could utilize in the ending to clarify the man’s sudden appearance.
Holy crap, I loved this book. A Bad Day for Sunshine follows Sunshine Vicram as she starts her first day as sheriff of the strange town of Del Sol.
It’s funny, the characters are amazing, the slowburn romance might kill you, the mystery elements keep you guessing, and even the quirky town of Del Sol comes to life.
As soon as I finished this audiobook (which is also fantastically narrated), I immediately put myself on the waitlist for the sequel as well as the author’s others books. Honesty, I’m so thrilled I don’t have to think about what my next audiobook is going to be for awhile, because it’s totally going to be Darynda Jones
Six brilliant stars, and I’ll probably be recommending this one to just about everybody.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The only real problem with this book is it makes me want to stop everything else and just read!!!
This book was exactly what I thought it would be, and that is incredibly satisfying. If I Could Turn Back Time follows Amelia as she inherits her grandfather’s “haunted” cabin and tries to settle in a new town in a bit of a rough part of her life.
This book is light, but not shallow, funny, romantic, and all-in-all just the type of book that leaves a smile on my face. The time-traveling elements are well done, and the characters were likable, developed naturally, and had great chemistry. In general, the plot just flowed super well. The romance moves fast, but I think it skirted insta love territory (Steam level maybe a 4 out of 5.)
Basically, I think this would make a stellar chick flick, and I’d be stoked to watch it. Although it is technically it’s part of a series, I didn’t read the first one and this book reads well as a stand-alone. I totally recommend this for romance fans who like a little steam, and I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.
Thanks to the publisher and Booksirens for the free ARC!
This one’s a little tough to review, because I’m sure there are a LOT of people that will love this book. It’s a well-written, expansive, multi-POV epic fantasy, with tons of detailed world-building and plenty of action to move along the 22 hours of well-narrated audiobook.
The Starless Crown follows a cast of characters as they unearth old magics and traverse their dangerous world in a bid to prevent the apocalypse amid kingdoms on the brink of war.
But I just couldn’t get into it. I had trouble connecting to any of the numerous characters. Although they were all likable enough, they all felt rather one-dimensional to me, and the relationships and dialogue between them felt a bit flat. So from that indifference, it was really hard to get invested in the plot. And in the end it just felt… long.
Honestly, if I hadn’t gotten this from Netgalley I think I would’ve DNF’d it around 25% … 22 hours is a pretty big time investment. I kept hoping to get drawn in, but this just wasn’t for me. If you’re a fan of the author and sprawling epic fantasy, then I’d definitely still recommend giving it a look though.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC
⭐⭐⭐¼
I was stuck at home with a mild case of COVID this week, so I definitely needed a book to escape into. But this one just… wasn’t the one I was looking for.
Zoo of the Dead was a fantastic first read of 2022! I don’t usually pick up short story anthologies, but this one caught my curiosity… and then totally held it till the last page. Everyone one of these unique stories really embodies the best parts of the horror genre from a variety of angles. They kept me guessing while giving me those creepy, suspenseful, disturbing (hello, “Checking Out”) and in some cases, goofy (I’m looking at you, Dead Jimmy) vibes. I also really enjoyed the author’s note at the end of each discussing where she got her inspiration (Justice for Twinkie!)
Highly recommend for anyone looking for some great horror short fiction, and I will definitely read more from Iseult Murphy in the future. Minor content warning for body horror and suicidal scenes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tula’s quite pleased with this one and looking forward to more excellent 2022 reads!
Behind Closed Doors follows Grace in her picture perfect marriage as she recounts how she got in predicament in the first place, through detailed flashbacks.
I was excited to pick up another fast-paced thriller audiobook from the library, and while this book was an easy enough listen, I came away a little disappointed. I really enjoy those thrillers that keep you bouncing around from suspect to suspect, always keeping you guessing, never really knowing what’s coming next, and… that’s not this book.
This book is definitely more slow, methodical kind of thriller. Most of Grace’s attempts of escape are shown via flashback, so since we already know the outcome, I felt like the tension wasn’t as intense as it could’ve been, and the premise kind of required me to suspend my disbelief in kind of strange ways. Jack comes off as a little one-dimensional, and if you’re waiting for a twist… well there isn’t really one.
Behind Closed Doors is an easy read though, a well-narrated audiobook, and has a mostly satisfying conclusion. Overall: a solid thriller that takes it time. (3.5/5)
⭐⭐⭐½
I’m not sure this one was quite Elsa and I’s speed.
Another solid thriller that takes its time with some surprises in store as well. The story follows Chloe two decades after her father was found guilty of murdering six teenage girls. Chloe is an unreliable narrator with some unhealthy coping mechanisms, so when a fresh series of murders crops up, she understandably starts on a downward spiral.
This book is chock full of tension, and sells its red herrings hard, but ultimately I thought the ending was kind of a downer. Chloe makes some choices that are a little hard to stomach, and it makes me feel bad for one character in particular as it rips all of their lives apart.
The audiobook was well narrated and the writing style feels rich and full even if it does slow down after the halfway point. Overall a solid listen I’d recommend to fans of dark thrillers. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! A Flicker in the Dark launches on 11 Jan!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Elsa’s still looking over her shoulder after reading this one.
I loved this book! I picked up A Heart Worth Healing by Cara Devlin for my Little Free Library Contest a while back, and I’m so glad I get to pass it on to another lucky reader.
A Heart Worth Healing follows Dr. Ellie Lennox as she goes out west looking for a fresh start after an incident in the East turns her life upside down.
Honestly, what’s NOT to like about this book? It’s loosely inspired by a frontier physician Dr. Susan Anderson, it has a clean, slowburn romance, the protagonists are completely lovable, the conflict feels real and well-paced, and it really gives you a feel for the frontier west. It also leaves plenty of room for the sequel, which I will totally be picking up.
Highly recommend for any fans of historical fiction and clean romance!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s always exciting to put a great book in the little library!
Hayley Reese Chow 